Antero Mertaranta, a beloved sports commentator, has been the voice of every Finnish men's national ice hockey team game since the World Championships in 1995, initially through Yleisradio and later for MTV. His last commentary was during Finland's quarter-final defeat against the USA in the last year's World Championship in Stockholm. As his tenure as the 'lion voice' concludes, MTV is in search of a new commentator who can carry on his legacy in upcoming tournaments.

Sources indicate that Jani Alkio, a 49-year-old commentator known for his coverage of the Finnish leagues, is being considered as Mertaranta's successor for the World Championships. Despite speculation about Oskari Saari also being a contender for this role, he has publicly stated that he is content with his current position at Warner Bros. Discovery, where he covers different ice hockey events including the EHT games and the U20 World Championships.

The upcoming World Championships are set to take place in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland, and are highly anticipated by Finnish fans, who look forward to seeing how the team, referred to as the 'Lions,' will perform in the tournament. The transition to a new commentator symbolizes a significant change for fans who have grown accustomed to Mertaranta's distinct voice, raising both excitement and nostalgia for the upcoming games.